Today I was invited to a small gathering of friends poolside, and what a great day for it! We were each asked to bring some sort of easy snack, I love this idea in today’s economic times. So I pulled out an old favorite which is easy to prepare as well as inexpensive and tasty! I have served this combo many times and it’s always a hit! Being a caterer, I never wish to just grab a prepared item from the local market, it just seems like when you do that, you disrespect the host and the event.
So while I took "Rocco," my trusted companion, out for his early walk I placed a whole Eggplant in the oven with some Garlic and a small Onion. Off we went for our stroll; I try and stay out with him for about an hour in the mornings and this timing will work out just fine. Upon my return the food was removed from the oven and left to cool, while I prepared the chips. I took a package of large flour tortillas out and stacked them on my cutting board; with a large knife I cut them into 8 pie-shaped pieces. Layed them out on a cookie sheet and brushed each with some Olive Oil, and then sprinkled with some Garlic Powder, and a bit of Walker & Sons "SLAP YA MAMA"–a seasoned salt from Ville Platte, Louisiana. I love the "HOT" but use it sparingly as it is VERY hot! I also like a bit of chopped fresh herbs as it will enhance the flavor of the chips as well as make them beautiful!
Pop the chips in the oven and just watch them as they cook fairly quickly; and repeat batches until you have the desired number of chips needed for the event.
Now I took the eggplant pan from the oven and cleaned the eggplant from its skin into a large bowl along with all 10 cloves of garlic and the onion that I roasted along with it. Into the trusty "Cuisinart"* went the roasted items along with some "tahina", lemon juice and olive oil. From here we added a bit of Sea Salt, and Pepper to taste, process till smooth, and we have a fantastic "Baba Ghanoush"–an eggplant dip from the Middle East. When served with the chips this is a unique & tasty combo people will love! I like to top the Baba Ghanoush with a bit of "AJVAR"** just for color and to add another level of taste to the dish. I will take today’s snack ready for the table as I am not sure the host will have serving pieces to use poolside. A basket for the chips and a plastic bowl for the dip. Always use items that are pool safe, NO GLASS!
BABA GHANOUSH:
Roast: 1 lg. Eggplant, 10 cloves Garlic, and 1 small yellow Onion, for 1 hour or till tender and the garlic and onion are soft and have a nice brown color. Garlic and onion should be laced with some olive oil to roast.
After they cool, remove the eggplant from its skin add the garlic & onion into the "Cuisinart" with some sea salt and white pepper and about 1/4 cup Tahina*, with the juice of 1 lg lemon, and 1/3 cup olive oil. Process till smooth.
Transfer to serving bowl, you may garnish with chopped parsley or as I like with a bit of "Ajvar"**
* Tahina, a smooth paste made from sesame seeds, available in most markets.
** Ajvar, a beautiful red pepper sauce used in Middle Eastern cooking, available in mild to hot. I add it to soup base, in BBQ sauce, and to color rice, or sometimes just have it as a dip for roasted veggies.
Mock-PITA CHIPS:
Large Flour Tortillas, stacked and cut into 8 pie shaped pieces
To bake, lay flat on a cookie sheet, brush with Olive or Grapeseed Oil.
For the seasoning you may use Garlic powder, seasoned salt, dried herbs [I like to use fresh, chopped very fine] like Basil, Thyme, Oregano, even Sage. My seasoning of choice is the "SLAP YA MAMA".
Oven should be preheated to 375, and watch them closely as they cook quickly once they start to crisp–about 8 min. You can use flavored tortillas as well, they make a great presentation!
* Cuisinart is a brand name of kitchen products known for their food processors. There is no better product line on the market as far as I can see, I have used their products both in my catering kitchens and at home for over 25 years. Please check them out at www.cuisinart.com They are a bit high dollar but in my opinion worth every cent!
Well, the party was a great success! We had a great time and all got a bit of sun. The reason for this add-on is that our host offered some fantastic beverages I thought were worthy of mentioning as they are pre-mixed and new to the market. I often say make the event as simple as you can, so as a host you too may enjoy the time with your guests! Today we were offered a selection of pre-mixed cocktails by "Diageo’s instant cocktails". I was particularly impressed by the flavors offered and the quality of the product, such names as "SMIRNOFF", "JOSE CUERVO", and "CAPTAIN MORGAN" supply the spirits in these pre-mixed cocktails. The cocktails I found most impressive today included the "Jose Cuervo, Golden Margarita", the "Smirnoff, Pomegranate Martini", and the "Smirnoff, Tuscan Lemonade". Please go out and try some of these products as I found them quite tasty, and was told they are offered at exceptional value! In the Dallas market these exceptional Ready-to Serve Cocktails may be found at your local "Goody Goody Spirit and Wine Shop".
Also worthy of mention were the wine selections for todays event:
"Marques de Caceres," a dry, racy, and lovely "Rioja" from Spain, about $10; and
"Clos Des Rochers" a smooth and complex "Pinot Gris" with a beautiful honey finish from Luxembourg, about $14.
